I think spring is finally here.
Almost here.
I’m cautiously optimistic; can you tell I’ve been burned in the past? Maybe everyone feels that way after this winter. Yowza. This winter was your boyfriend, that’s for sure. All that matters now is that the snow is slowly disappearing and the temps are getting warmer.
Warmer weather is making me want to jog outside. And daylight saving time will be here, too, so maybe as early as next week I’ll be able to do some of my famous exercising out-of-doors in the evenings. Now won’t that be special? In order to do that, I may need to call in an advance or two on my birthday gifts. Yes, I’ll be 23 next month. Oh ok, plus 6. Firstly, I shall require a new pair of New Balance running shoes, width: man-like wides and size: 9.5. I’m nothing if not a delicate flower. Or a brute lady with cankles and an enormous gait. Wait, I don’t really know what kind of gait I have, but there’s a good chance it’s not feminine. Secondly, I am in the market for a sports watch. I’d love for it to have a pedometer and timer so I can get the feedback of a treadmill while I’m running outside. I don’t know if one exists. I’ve searched the internets and it seems as though they are hard to come by. I’ve not read any stellar reviews for a product that retails for less than $200. If anyone knows otherwise, please contact me at your earliest convenience. Thank you.
In way-more-important news: Jess from Colloquy of Commoners and my brother Jacob, along with their church group from Ames are heading back to Nicaragua this morning. I’ve told Jacob we’d like a report when he gets back, hopefully with new pictures and/or video this time perhaps? It’d be nice, but we’re easy to please. Right guys?
I don’t want to alarm anyone, but I will be a mother of a 5 year old boy come Monday. I’ll dedicate a separate entry to my first-born later, but I just wanted to give you a warning now. It seems like a milestone birthday. Is it? For me perhaps more than for him. It’s like, congratulations Jessie, you’ve raised your son through the infant, toddler and preschool years, here is your commemorative badge, we’ll take it from here. And then I’ll breathe a sigh of relief and say: Finally, all the hard work is complete! Auto-pilot until college!
Right guys? Right?!
No? Oh, ok, I won’t quit my day job.
What are you doing for spring break (if you’ve got one coming)?
You are a goofball today!
I know! That’s what I get for writing late at night. Somebody stop me! (Jim Carey)
even a Jim Carey reference?
Jessie, you dork. :) hahaha. Definitely yes, you do need good running shoes. And I can guarantee you are going to love running outdoors. I rather hate the treadmill. I have definitely learned to find a brand and style of shoe that works for me, and stick with it. I prefer the Asics 2140/2150 but New Balance makes great running shoes as well. Since it sounds like you need a wider shoe; you may want to also try out some Asics while you’re at it as they make their shoes a little wider in the toe box anyway. In the Des Moines area I have heard great things about Fitness Sports – I use their website to check out races all the time.
I have a Garmin Forerunner 305. it is a GPS enabled watch. Got it from Amazon. It has the stuff you’re looking for. Yes, it looks like an 80′s calculator watch (huge) but it does the job for sure. it’s $160. heart rate, distance, timer, splits, all kinds of things I don’t have any idea on how to use yet. :) It is pretty much a staple of people on several of my SparkTeams on SparkPeople. Some of whom have had the updated version also, but have had better reliability with the 305. I really like it. I got it back in late November, so I really hadn’t used it much til last week; but I can definitely tell it’s going to make a big difference to me and my running/jogging.
My friend Jamy, who lives in Ames, just left for Nicaragua too… surely she and Jacob must know one another? Jamy Rentschler… awesome person… have had several classes with her during my MBA program. :)
Can’t believe Jude is going to be 5!! That’s crazy!
Oh… and… unfortunately Spring Break means nothing to me, other than the fact that I don’t have my incredibly worthless class on Thursday night. SCORE!
My brother (the designated XC runner of the family) recently told me about the Nike chip. Basically, it’s a chip you put in your shoe and it tracks distance, calories, workouts, etc. Tons of stuff. Then you sync it to an iPhone and it tracks all of your workouts. Not great for glancing at while running (obviously), but it’s a more affordable version than the Garmin one (which I have heard spectacular things about, btw). I think it’s $25 or $30 at Scheels or Sports Authority.
Also, they make Nike shoes that have a special slot in the sole for the chip. But I imagine it would work in any kind of shoe.
Let me know if you get it and it’s awesome – I haven’t bought one yet, but kinda want to!
ah yes – AmyZig is right, I know people have really liked the Nike + iPod…. you certainly can use it with the iPhone but you don’t have to have an iPhone, it can just be on an iPod. I have one I used before I got the Garmin (and they make little pouches to slide onto your shoe lace for it.) It was really inaccurate for me, but I run/walk intervals so I’m sure that was why. I know others that really like it. You input your stride length details for walking and running and it will give you a good estimate. If you did run with an iPhone, there’s a MapMyRun app from MapMyRun.com that attempts to use the GPS in your phone to do the same thing the Garmin does – I don’t have an iPhone so I haven’t used it, but that may be an option too :)